Mantis Rodz is about family and kids!

Mantis wants to give a special thanks to the families that stopped by our booth at the Seattle Roadster Show. It's always great to see smiling faces-and being able to pass a little something along for the kids-is a lot of fun. Here is a photo of just one of those families-the kids were great! Thanks again for stopping by!

My favorite little guy making it happen on the slopes!

Max of Mantis Rodz is blasted all over this site. It's about the kids after all! He's a huge fan of sports, hot rods, family and having fun. He's such a great sport about everything. Max-make sure and show/tell your friends that you are a super star skiing machine! His ski school is just about over-and then it's time for baseball....

Snowboarders biting it up at Snoqualmie

Here are a couple quick clips of snowboarders crashing. Mantis has some other clips of successful jumps in the next blog. Enjoy the clips. It's all about entertainment! This site is for the snowboarding fans.

Snowboarding Snoqualmie

Mantis spent an afternoon up at the slopes watching Max's ski school and seeing the snowboarders get some air. Enjoy the clips-and a special thanks to the snowboarders!

Little Old Lady From Pasadena-Dodge Muscle Cars from YouTube

Motorcycle club "Getting Lost" on Whidbey Island

Mantis had the opportunity to capture a motorcycle club making a run to Coupeville, WA on Whidbey Island. Dave Preston is Public Relations for the Cycle Barn Motorsports Group-and he welcomed photos of the club. This group met at the Mukilteo ferry landing on Saturday-February 16th-with 31 members from three different groups. Dave said that they were going to get lost on Whidbey Island and meet up for lunch in Coupeville. They sure picked a great day for a ride. Thanks again for the photos Dave-great choppers! Check out Cycle Barn.

Tuskegee Airmen of World War II

Mantis would like to take this opportunity to thank the Tuskegee Airmen for their outstanding service during World War II. Steve, with Mantis Rodz, had the fortune of meeting several members of the Tuskegee Airmen at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA on Memorial Day in 2007.

Steve met several airmen-including Captain Luther H. Smith, Jr., Lt. Col. Walter McCreary, Captain Richard Macon, 1st Lt. William Hollomon, and Lt. Col Alexander Jefferson. He had the Tuskegee Airmen sign a P-51 "Mustang" that is displayed in his son's room. The wood base has the words Tuskegee Airmen. The plaque reads, P-51D "Mustang" Tuskegee. The Army Air Force began training African-Americans as military pilots in Alabama at Tuskegee's Motion Field and Tuskegee Army Air Field. The Tuskegee Airmen completed 15,500 missions, destroyed over 260 enemy aircraft, sank one enemy destroyer, and demolished numerous enemy installations. Bomber crews named them the "Red-Tail Angels" after the red tail markings on their aircraft. A Distinguished Unit Citation was awarded to the 332nd Fighter Group for "outstanding performance and extraordinary heroism" in 1945.

Steve would also like to thank Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson, Air Force (Retired), WWII POW. Lt. Colonel Jefferson signed a book for Steve's son, Max. The book, Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Free...The Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman and POW by Alexander Jefferson (Lt. Col., USAF, Ret.) is a great book to have in any library. Please check out Tuskegee Airmen.

Having the opportunity to meet the Tuskegee Airmen will always be a cherished moment for Steve. He served in the Army from 1983-1986 and was proud to make the rank of Sergeant.

Thanks again to the Tuskegee Airmen!

Modesto, CA has an American Graffiti Parade.

The rodzrookie found a decent video to fit in the lifestyle section. Try and name as many makes, models and years of these classic rides that cruise by the spectators. Enjoy the clip!

Rockabilly Rave from YouTube

YouTube is full of great clips...The rides and songs bring back some great memories for a number of people. Recognize any classics that you once had in your possession?

Rockabilly Hall of Fame

Orphan Cars

As a car buff, I am really intrigued by the "orphan cars." An orphan car is any car that is discontinued by the manufacturer. My dad had an Essex, which was produced by the Essex Motor Company and then by Hudson Motor Company. Boy was it cool.

I wanted to find a list of orphan cars and found these:

>Orphan Cars<
Torq-O

But the best thing I found was this funny video about "orphan cars," enjoy!

Kite Surfing: Extreme Sports Exposed!

Mantis Rodz spoke to Scott, an extreme kite surfing expert, at Richmond Beach in Shoreline, WA. What an intense sport this is! It was ice cold, wind howling like crazy...a perfect atmosphere for the avid kite surfer.

A surfer said that he could hit approximately 20mph. That's smoking! One also said that the only time a kite surfer gets cold is when one steps out of the water. For you "wanna-be" kite surfers check out KiteSurfing Now.

Mantis would like to thank the kite surfers at Richmond Beach.

"Buckets" Blakes with the Harlem Globetrotters

Steve with Mantis Rodz had the opportunity to meet "Buckets" Blakes with the Harlem Globetrotters in Woodinville, WA at the local Top Foods grocery store. Steve recalls seeing the Globetrotters over 30 years ago-watching the greats Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal play the game in Seattle.

Here is the ever popular Harlem Globetrotters site. Check out the local grocery locations for Top Foods.

Here is "Buckets" Blakes in a quick video clip displaying his talents. Steve was also able to sneak in a quick photo with the Globetrotters star.

Anchorage Inn - B&B on Whidbey Island

February is a great time of year to visit bed and breakfasts around the country. This British Columbia resident with a cool ride spends time at the Anchorage Inn B&B in Coupeville on Whidbey Island.

What a great place to visit during any time of the year. Whidbey Island offers a lot. Check out the B&B Anchorage Inn for more information.